Fidget
by Ellrohan
Summary: A ficlet about an encounter between Sasori and Deidara, some time into their partnership. Don't own, no sueing please.


Sasori painstakingly worked the oil into Sandaime's elbow joint, rotating it back and forth; these joints need to be supple but not too loose. Reaching over, he went to grab hold of the bottle when a sudden explosion rocked the compound and dropped the bottle right into his palm.

He shrugged.

At least Deidara was getting better at aiming. Last time the bottle of oil had fallen away from his hand and gone all over the floor. He hadn't been pleased, the floor had been slippery for weeks, and the only consolation was when Sir Leader had stormed in looking for Deidara because he'd blown something else up and nearly fallen flat on his face. Sasori smirked. It'd teach the man to knock next time.

He resettled himself.

A blond head poked cautiously around the door, Sasori was deadly fast with that tail of his and Deidara was far better at ducking now than he had been before he'd been paired with the touchy nin out of necessity.

"Danna?" he chirped brightly, Sasori's room was intact and there was no puddle of expensive oil on the floor this time. Always a good sign in Deidara's opinion. Receiving no negative response, Deidara invited himself in and sat on his danna's futon. It wasn't like Sasori actually used it, he preferred to sleep in Hiruko, it was safer in there after all. Hmmm, pretty colours… he traced a swirl on the cover…

"Hn?" Sasori finished Sandaime's left arm and placed him carefully in a space on the floor to dry. "What do you want, brat?" He half-turned to his partner.

"Nothing much, un! I was just wondering-"

"Whether you'd knocked the oil over again?" Sasori interrupted with a dangerous glint in the eye Deidara could see.

"Yeah," Deidara nodded cheerfully, used to Sasori's glares, "You were so cross last time un, I thought I'd see if I had to run all the way to the Fire Country again, un!" he smiled at Sasori and wiggled his toes.

"The Fire Country? We went that far?" Sasori asked in surprise, he'd not really been paying attention, too intent on making Deidara _bleed_.

"Yes danna! All the way," he laughed, "I didn't think you were ever going to stop chasing me, un. You were so angry-"

The segmented tail was under his chin, pushing it up, he froze.

Sasori was looking at him intently, rather like a sand panther that's not entirely sure it can be bothered to hurl itself after its dinner.

"What do you really want, brat?" his tone told Deidara that if it was a long and complicated want and started with 'please danna, un, I've not asked you for much before…' he could forget it.

Deidara spread his hands helplessly,

"I… wanted to… to…" he floundered, swallowing nervously as Sasori's tail pressed more insistently against his jugular, "Danna… c-could you, un… move that?" The pressure left his throat as Sasori himself stepped out of Hiruko and glared at him, Hiruko moved back to give Sasori room to manoeuvre. Deidara fancied he'd seen apprehension in the puppet's eyes and that made him smile. Sasori's hand grabbed his chin,

"What. Do. You. WANT WITH ME!" Sasori roared, annoyed that Deidara had spaced out, ignoring him and was grinning; he stepped forward again until he was nearly standing on Deidara, Deidara swallowed painfully; Sasori didn't like to get close to people, he had to be angry.

"Danna… I wanted…un…un… justtosithereIpromiseI'llbequietun!" Both gazes locked, Deidara looking up with apprehension at Sasori's proximity and anger and Sasori looking down with a cooling ire and a hefty dose of surprise and suspicion.

"You. Want to sit with… me?" his eyes bored into Deidara's visible one. "Why?"

"Uhm… d-d-danna, I d-don't know, un," Deidara whispered miserably. Sasori let go and moved back a little.

"Well," he began, "Just… don't break anything." He glared warningly at Deidara before turning around and reabsorbing himself in rubbing Sandaime down.

Really, Sasori reflected, halfway to the Fire Country and Deidara's fleeing back in front of him, he really shouldn't expect the hyperactive nin to be able to sit still anywhere.


End file.
